Gary Lee Opheim

May 6, 2013

Gary Lee Opheim, 57, of Tama, went home to our Lord Sunday, May 5, 2013. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, May 9, at 10:30 a.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama with Pastor Kalen Barkholtz officiating. Private Interment will be held at a future date at Maple Grove Cemetery in rural Tama. Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 8, from 5-7 p.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.

Gary was born on July 10, 1955, in Buffalo Center, Iowa, the son of Lyle and Nancy (Larsen) Opheim.

He enjoyed athletics when he was in school and graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1974.

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Gary Lee Opheim

On Oct. 1, 1977, he was united in marriage to Kathy Wetzel in Sioux City, Iowa. Gary was employed at the Tama Paperboard since October of 1995. He was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in rural Tama. He was a part of getting the Community Clothes Closet in Tama started. Gary loved his wife and family and he especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He was an all around family man and made it a point to call his family every weekend. Gary was a hard worker and was proud of his yard.

He was preceded in death by his father; his sister, Kathy Spurgeon; grandparents, Gladys and Bernald Opheim, and Harley and Doris Larsen; and his father-in-law, Frank Wetzel.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy of Tama; three children, Vicki (Rich) Riha, Holly (Trever) Backen all of Tama, and Jason Opheim of Altoona; his mother, Nancy Opheim of Sergeant Bluff; five grandchildren, Levi, Alexis, Kaitlyn, Makayla, and Breanna; three brothers, Tom (Roni) Opheim of Milford, Steve (Becky) Opheim of Henderson, NV, and Mark (Katie) Opheim of Omaha, NE; two sisters, Karen Lewis of Tama, and Angie (Kirk) Baird of Sergeant Bluff; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews; and his loyal companion, Gizmo.